I'm writing this as I watch a game of hand-egg otherwise known as the scrumptious hot-cake that is American football. Though it's not just any game of hand-egg. This is the most important game of hand-egg in the world: Super Bowl XLVII (for those who don't care to Google the roman numerals, it's Super Bowl forty-seven). Baltimore is ahead seven to three with 11:10 left in the second quarter. It's 3rd and a foot... Very nice run up the middle. First down.
If you're hoping this is going to turn into a rant about how real football involves a hitting/kicking ball with your foot, I apologize. That's for another day.
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| I was bored during the outage. I like the intensity in Shannon Sharpe's face. |
I always find sports interesting. Sports are never a necessity to life. To keep oneself alive, one does not need to know how to throw an egg-shaped ball or hit a flying white ball with a stick. Okay, maybe MMA could be beneficial if you got mugged on the street, but in general sports are useless. In that sense, all sports (and borderline- and non-sports) are of the same worth to us.
According to Dictionary.com, Sport is defined as "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature." In that sense, nearly everything could be a considered a sport if done in a "competitive nature" and be defined as "athletic." Thumb wars has a chance to be a sport. Thumbs can be athletic. Rock, Paper, Scissors could have the potential to be a real sport. Look at the athleticism in those forearms. Oh wait, it already is a sport! Yup, there's a real RPS league. *BTW, my mouth just dropped to the floor at Jacoby Jones' 109 yard [update: they changed it to 108 yards] kickoff return* Okay, I take that back. I like SportAccord's definition of 'sport'. It includes the criteria of a sport not having any aspect of 'luck' in the game. I was also kidding about the athletic forearms. No, RPS is not a sport. *and now the power's out in N.O. This is a really interesting Super Bowl*
An additional aspect of sport is that ALL forms of sport are dictated by totally arbitrary rules. Football (hand-egg) is a game where you have to get an egg-shaped object into an arbitrary area on one end of the field in an arbitrary number of downs. You aren't allowed to hit people with your fists or use a car to run the ball (I'm looking at you, Dale Jr.). Even track can be considered being the fastest runner to go an arbitrary distance. As long as it is conceivable that one man/team would be consistently able to outdo another in a certain athletic discipline, it is a sport.
*Ravens just fumbled. THIS IS INTENSE*
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| Google Autofill: best thing to do when bored |
Now, time for some Google autofill! "Is a sport"
Is cheerleading a sport?
Yes. It requires A LOT of athleticism. Same thing for dance, gymnastics, and ballet.
Is NASCAR a sport?
Yes. This argument is for another day. Go Jeff Gordon.
Is golf a sport?
It's debatable. I'm tempted to say 'yes', but it's a tentative 'yes'.
Is chess a sport?
No. Chess is purely a mind game.
Is marching band a sport?
Hm. I'm going to have to say yes. It's along the lines of figure ballet, gymnastics etc. It involves marching which can be considered "athletic".
Is bowling a sport?
Hm. Yes. *I'm busy watching, I don't have time to think deeply about this one*
*Kaepernick just ran a TD to bring SF within 2*
In summary of that summary, most things can be considered a sport... unless it's Rock, Paper, Scissors.
Update: It's 11:00 PM. I was cheering for the 49ers on the final drive. It's nice to see Ray Lewis get a Super Bowl in his final season. I'm banking on a weather-related school delay tomorrow.
Update to the Update: It's 7:20 AM. No Delay. It's going to be a long day :P
Best Wishes! -Richie